Mark your calendars now! The first-ever Silo District Marathon is less than a week away. Registration is now closed, but you can still get in on the fun by attending the inaugural event.

It's going to be an exciting day for the Gaines and the city of Waco. An estimated 18,000 people are predicted to visit Waco for the race weekend including 6,000 runners who will participate in one of the three races, according to the Waco Tribune-Herald. Most nearby hotels and accommodations are already sold out.

With the half-marathon and 5K already sold out, and registration now closed for all three races, your chance to run this year has already past. But here's the good news: Information about the 2019 event will be announced soon.

Prepping for the big day has been a family affair, but race day will be one also. Runners and spectators can expect to see the entire Gaines family including their kids—Drake, Ella, Duke, and Emmie—there to support Chip in a very special, hands-on way. "All of our kids are going to be running with him during certain portions," Joanna Gaines tells CountryLiving.com. "He’s been working so hard, so I’m excited for him to run the full 26.2 miles."

In preparation for the big race, Chip has been racking up the miles and as a result, he's also getting into great shape. The Fixer Upper star is looking stronger than ever and he’s already lost 15 pounds. "He’s lost 15 pounds just by running and eating healthy," Joanna tells CountryLiving.com. "He feels so good. And he’s grown to enjoy this whole process."

Chip's pretty impressed, too. "I’m down around 10 pounds," he told the Runner's World back in March. "And the fact that I’m not sucking wind at mile one is probably a pretty good sign, too."

To fuel up for runs and the upcoming event, Chip has changed some of his eating habits and has learned to rely on healthy snacks. "He always has trail mix on him, and bananas," Joanna tells CountryLiving.com. "He’s been learning to have healthy snacks on hand."

While Chip has always wanted to run a marathon, he didn’t find the motivation he needed to do it until this past fall. Back in October when Chip was completing the press tour for his new book Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff, he and Joanna were in New York City’s Central Park when they met professional runner and Minnesota native Gabriele "Gabe" Grunewald.

After chatting briefly, Chip learned Gabriele has been battling Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma, a rare form of a cancer, for almost 10 years. Despite her diagnosis, she hasn't given up on running—and that’s when Chip realized he wanted to give it a try, too.

“After hearing Gabe’s story, I realized two things: I didn’t want to spend another second standing on the sidelines," Chip wrote on the Magnolia blog, "and secondly, given what she’s gone through, I didn’t have any excuse not to give this a shot. So I commited."

"While running a marathon is nothing compared to fighting cancer, it hopefully serves as a fitting symbol to facing our fears head on, whatever they may be, and taking on challenges that seem larger than us with faith and hope," the Gaineses wrote on the marathon's website.

She's coaching him through training and plans to be there for race day. “I am so thrilled you are taking on this challenge and excited to guide you on the journey,” she wrote to Chip on Twitter. “(I’m making some changes to your training plan at this very moment.) We will make sure you find that finish line and have fun doing it!”

“Monday was my first official day of training, and all I can really say is—that hurt,” he wrote on the Magnolia blog. “We set a modest goal of 1.7 miles for my first run. Turns out I would have been better off running to the mailbox and back because by the time I rounded the first mile mark, I was gasping for air and it took everything I had not to keel over right there.”

Since he began training in January, he's already worked up to running 15 miles. "I seem to be getting better and better," he wrote on Twitter. "[First] couple of long runs really sucked, but last week my 7.2m long run finally felt good."

Whether you’re a beginner or pro, runners of all levels can sign up for the Silo District Marathon races, which features a full marathon option (26.2 miles), a half-marathon option (13.1 miles), or a 5K (3.1 miles). The full marathon, which costs $150 to register, starts at 7 a.m., followed by the half-marathon at 7:30 a.m. ($135 to register), and the 5K ($45 to register) at 7:30 a.m.

And there's no reason to feel intimidated by the challenge if you've never raced before. New runner (and Fixer Upper regular) Jimmy Don will be completing his first race ever! "I’ve never been a runner guy, but I just wanted to be a part of it," he told the Magnolia Market Blog. "Truth be told, I might walk the whole thing, but I just want to be there. In fact, my whole family and 20 members of my team back at the office have all signed up to do this thing with me!"

To honor Gabriele's journey and to help those also affected by rare forms of cancer, the Gaineses are going to write a big check to fund cancer research. "We will donate 100 percent of the profits from the race to further the much-needed research on rare cancers, which make up 50 percent of all cancer diagnoses," they wrote on the marathon's website.

All of the money raised will be given to the newly formed organization and charity, the Brave Like Gabe Foundation, which raises awareness and funds for unusual cancers while providing support for patients and survivors.

All participants will receive a medal and a t-shirt in addition to the chance at prize money. The top three male and female runners in the marathon and half-marathon races will receive the following awards: marathon first place: $15,000; marathon second place: $7,500; marathon third place: $4,000; half-marathon first place: $10,000; half-marathon second place: $5,000; half-marathon third place: $2,500.

There will also be cash prizes handed out to those running simply to finish. "For normal folks like Chip, he will throw in a couple random winners, so everyone has a chance to win a great cash prize—even if you're not running for time," Magnolia Market posted on Facebook.

Unlike Chip, this won’t be Clint’s first race. The Wood Work star is a regular runner and plans to run the half-marathon distance. "You know I’m lacing up," he wrote on Instagram. "I’m in for the half! Gonna be a fun day! I’ll be the guy with the #lovebuildrun shirt on."

The Magnolia Market blog recently announced three team captains for the various race options and they're all Fixer Upper fan favorites.

Chip will lead runners completing the full marathon, Clint Harp will head up the runners tackling the half marathon, and Jimmy Don will represent the 5K runners. Each captain will share their training progress, best tips, and words of encouragement leading up to race day. "You can think of these three like your coaches," Magnolia writes.

If you can't make it down to Waco, Texas for the race this weekend, you can still get in on the fundraising efforts by participating in Gabe's inaugural "Brave Like Gabe" 5K race taking place in St. Paul, Minnesota on Sunday, May 20.

Magnolia Market also revealed there will be a second Silo District Marathon happening next year, though no dates or further information has been announced yet.

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